


Guzma in Galar

by vernal_rambler



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Galar-chihou | Galar Region (Pokemon), Gen, Pokemon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:53:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28394937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vernal_rambler/pseuds/vernal_rambler
Summary: Three years after the events of S/M, and ten years after Sw/Sh: Guzma has disbanded Team Skull and has tried to live life as best he can, but never feeling at home on the islands. So when he’s invited to go compete against world-class trainers in Galar’s gym challenge, our boy sets off on an adventure bigger than he ever imagined.
Kudos: 14





	1. Chapter 1

Guzma let out a low, defeated groan into his pillow, face plunged deep into the sea of only mild comfort. He didn't need to look at the clock on the bedside table to know he had slept until noon again. Or somewhere around there, anyways. Unenthusiastic, he reached over and grabbed his watch, turning his face so just one eye would be able to read the exact time. His guess had been somewhere between eleven and one, but the clock firmly read two fifteen. Of course he'd likely been lying awake for thirty minutes at this point, but that didn't matter. At least if he got up now, he would make it by three. It took him a while to find the strength to sit up, before gazing around the childhood bedroom he'd returned to. His mother for years had been adamant on displaying whatever he had accomplished here, one of the few things she'd ever been able to stand her ground on. To him, they were still just a testament to his previous failures. He'd tried hard the past few years to get over that mindset, but waking up to have silver and bronze staring him in the face had its toll. Well, so did his family as a whole. 

Looking back to the clock, he was whittling down to the last seconds before he'd be officially 'late' upon arrival. Skipping the shower for a third day, he threw on a set of clean-ish clothes. Without so much as a passing glance from one side to the other, Guzma combee-lined it out the door. There was a good chance they weren't even home at all, but checking if they were or not was nothing but a trap. 

Once out of the door, he felt he could finally breathe. The hot Alolan sun beating down on his black clothes. It seemed warmer than usual today, though it'd been like that a lot lately. It hadn't rained in an unusually long time for the islands, and the humidity made the air thick and heavy. Remembering he was running down the clock, Guzma headed down the path past the beach and towards Iki town. Per usual, Hala was standing up the road, waiting for his arrival. Once close enough, he hollered out.  
"There you are. I'm not getting any younger waiting for you here"  
Guzma scowled, though it wasn't much different from his usual expression. "If you didn't want to wait then you shouldn't have" 

The day's lessons went per usual. Some pokemon sparring with whatever sort of twist Hala felt like adding in for spice, or whatever. Guzma had been reinstated as his apprentice after the "Aether-incident", which happened a little over four years ago now. To be honest these bi-weekly sessions felt like a waste of time, and he'd said it. Still, he kept going, at this point because it was all he had left to keep track of the days. After two hours of pointless back and forth, Hala looked up at the sky and called it a day. Recognizing the ending of their usual time, Guzma turned to leave.

"Guzma, wait. Walk with me, would you?"  
"Why?"  
"Why not?" Hala chuckled as he began to saunter through the town, a light early evening breeze picking up. "I wanted to talk to you."  
Guzma side eyed the old man as he walked beside him, trying not to lose patience as he kept the same pace. "About what? Don't tell me you're dyin' or nothin'"  
"Stop calling me old, it's nothing like that."  
"Then what d'ya want?"  
"To talk to you about an opportunity." Hala was silent for a few more steps, before saying something farther out of left field than he could have possibly expected. "Ever heard of Galar?"  
"Well yeah, I took elementary geography ya know. That's the place that's up in the tundra or somethin' right?" Guzma shoved his hands in his pockets, wondering where this was going. "What about it?" 

Hala reached inside his back pocket, pulling from it a piece of folded up paper and handed it over. A pamphlet, with bright graphics and big lettering. 'World's First International Gym Challenge!' Guzma was almost more confused by this context. Without needing to say a word, Hala elaborated.  
"Galar's gym challenge is known all over for being, well, let's just call it different. They make a big event out of it every year, stadiums broadcast the challengers battles all over. It's nothing like the island challenge."  
"And what's the point of telling me this?"  
"This year they're holding a special tournament, where trainers from every region are entering."  
Guzma scowled, though admittedly interested. "And what, you're tellin' me I should go?"  
"Endorsing it, actually. Because of our smaller size, Alola's only allowed to choose one trainer to go. There are rules against people who have already completed their own regions challenges can't win- since most regions have leagues of their own."  
"So I'm your pick just because I couldn't finish the island challenge? Is that it? Forget it."  
Hala exhaled deeply. "Guzma, it's more than that. I think you'd like it there, if you give it a chance."  
Guzma fell quiet, looking at the pamphlet in his hand. It took him a minute, before crumpling it up and shoving it into the pocket of his vest.  
"If it gets you off my back I'll think about it."  
Hala stopped, they'd now hit the entrance of Hau'oli. "I'll need an answer by tomorrow night. Let me know what you decide" Hala looked up at the mostly clear blue sky, pondering saying something else. Ultimately deciding against it, he turned away and began the trek back to Iki, leaving Guzma to his own devices. 

Night had settled down on Alola, a deep blue washing over everything as far as the eye could see. Guzma sat on the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea, though the bright light of the moon and stars was more than enough to see. His eyes were fixed on the uncrumpled pamphlet in his hand, thoughts mixed. A place so far away, so potentially different. Who would want to turn down that? But if they could only send one trainer from Alola, why him? There were people younger than him, better than him, more deserving than him. Someone that actually stood a chance of winning. At the same time, this was a second chance to prove himself, in a way that he would never be able to again. Opening the inside of the pamphlet, he started reading more. It was just as Hala had described, an invite for people from all over to come participate in their world famous 'gym challenge'. On the last page of it, the rules limiting who could apply were very specifically outlined. 

"1 applicant per 20,000 people, or per region.  
Applicants must be endorsed specifically by their region's champion, or equivalent.  
Applicants may not hold status currently as champion, gym leader, or equivalent. Trainers must not have completed their region's gym league, or equivalent.  
Trainers can only bring one pokemon with them from their home region. This pokemon must be inexperienced, and capable of being caught in the Galar region (For a full list of eligible pokemon, please visit GymChallenge.mcg/index). 

*The above rules have been put in place to ensure a level playing field among all entrants. Applicants that do not abide by these rules will be dismissed." 

Guzma reflected on these rules briefly, before turning back to the prior pages that advertised the challenge itself. 'Earn glory and fame as you battle for the top' a particularly eye-catching slogan. Crumpling the pamphlet up again, he held the ball of paper in his hand, and aimed to throw it at the nearest trash can. Yet something stopped him. He couldn't describe what the feeling he had was, an emotion almost wholly foreign to him. Was it… excitement?


	2. Chapter 2

“WHAAAAAAT?” 

Guzma looked up at the former Team Skull member, annoyed.  
“Would you just get down here already? I’m not gonna talk to ya through your window.”   
“Right- Be down in a flash” 

Guzma leaned against the nearby apartment’s wall, waiting. A few Skull members had moved to this apartment complex after they disbanded, the property value lowering notably since then. He was almost proud. He’d come here to meet with one specific person, though. They’d never ascended past grunt-status, but the young Elev had held a special place in Guzma’s heart from start to finish, for one specific reason. 

Finally emerging outside, Elev was gasping for breath, quite possibly having fallen down the stairs in their hurry. “You… Were… -gasp- what were you saying about… -gasp-?“   
“It ain’t that hard to get. I’m givin’ you my ‘mons.”   
Elev looked at him like he was crazy. Yeah, he probably was, but not for this. “But why? An’ why me? Why not Pluv, or…”   
“You like bugs, Elev. ‘Can’t say that about most people. I’m goin’ somewhere they can’t go, and I know you’ll treat ‘em better than anybody else.” Guzma removed the chain hanging from his belt that the set of six balls hung from, shoving it into Elev’s hands before they could protest. In the motion, his hand brushed against one of the poke balls, and his partner of many years emerged. 

They’d already said goodbye, but that didn’t stop Golisopod from gazing at him sadly. Elev looked at the large bug-type, before looking at its large former owner. “... Are you coming back?” 

Guzma turned away to leave, not wanting to make eye contact with either of them. “I don’t know, but let’s say I’m not.” He hesitated, restraining himself from looking backwards at his partner. “Take good care of them. If I do come back, I better see ‘em happy.” 

He didn’t give either of them time to respond, walking out of the alleyway and out into the main street. He looked down at the ground as he walked, a sense of sadness starting to well up in his stomach. But a small wiggle against his back pushed it away. Taking off the backpack he’d been wearing, he unzipped it and took into his hands its contents; an egg. “This’ll be a new start for both of us” 

The ship to bring the challengers to Galar would be coming tomorrow morning. He oughta get to packing.


	3. Chapter 3

A large crowd had gathered in the harbor, a spectacle being made of the incoming cruise ship. To Alola, a cruise ship wasn’t something out of the ordinary, but this one was different. It was smaller than most, but colored with artistic blues and yellows, flame coming from the top spouts. Large flying Pokémon circled around it overhead, and not one but two Wailord followed behind. The top deck, which usually would have a pool and lounge umbrellas, instead had three large battle arenas, each with different terrains. Approaching the crowd from behind, Guzma began making his way through it to the front. He only needed to shove one or two people out of the way who didn’t see him coming. After making some headway though, people started recognizing him, and moved out of his path. Standing on the port were all of the Island kahunas. Seeing Guzma approach, Hala waved him over to them. 

“Would you look at that! Can’t say I’ve ever seen anything like it in all my years”   
Nanu’s eyes were focused on the Wailord following the ship, unamused. “That’s Galar for you. Can’t say I’m surprised.” He looked over at Guzma, who was now standing just a bit behind them. “You think you’re ready for it?”   
Guzma didn’t respond, not because he didn’t want to, but because the ship gave a long call with its horn. This horn caused three of the flying Pokémon to descend to the port, landing before them. A Flygon, a Braviary, and a Charizard. Now that they were up close, it was clear they were all wearing saddles, though only the Flygon had a rider. Its rider was a young man in some sort of cheerleading uniform, who hopped off upon landing. 

“Allllllll right all stars! Who’s ready for the trip of a lifetime?!” The cheerleader surveyed the crowd, waving kindly before looking at his phone. “Let’s see… There’s just one of you isn’t there? Which one of you is it?”   
Guzma stepped forward, looking over the Flygon rider. “You’d be looking for me, the name’s Guzma. Don’t forget it.”   
The cheerleader nodded and smiled, looking him over. His gaze lacked the same judgement that most people got when he introduced himself. “Well Guzma, I hope you’re as excited as I am. Doesn’t look like you have any other bags? Then whenever you’re ready, hop on your ride of choice and we’ll head over to the ship” 

Olivia seemed surprised by this. “The boat’s not docking?”  
“Oh, no. We don’t stop the ship for any less than four people, prevents mishaps with the trailing Pokémon.”   
Guzma looked over at Hala, who had been silent yet grinning the whole time. Walking over, he sat himself on the back of the Charizard, which looked back at him happily. Without another word, the three Pokémon lifted their wings high and ascended into the bright blue sky. Guzma surveyed the crowd carefully once they were far enough away. Sure enough, from above he could see some of the former skull members- and Golisopod- all waving. He hadn’t told anyone it was him that was going, but they must have figured it out. 

He’d come back to them someday. And that day, he was going to come back a winner. 

The ship was even more impressive up close than it was from a distance, the battlefields on the top deck very carefully designed. There actually was a lounge area around the outside rails, with half of the beach chairs facing out at the water, while the other half was turned so that one could spectate any battles going on. There didn't seem to be any other passengers up here, though there were two uniformed staff members waiting to help him with his bags. Once hopping off the Charizard, the winged pokemon took flight back into the air, and the two hosts came up to him. The first one reached out and passed him a plastic card, which he took between his fingers.   
"What's this supposed to be?" Guzma examined the card, which was dwarfed in his large hands. It depicted on it a picture of a beach, with his name written in gold lettering on the front.   
"That's your key card. You can use it to unlock the door to your room, and access the facilities, like the gym."   
The second employee looked at a slip of paper in hand, before extending this out to Guzma as well. "You'll be staying in room 305, that's deck three on the elevator."   
"I'm not stupid, I can find it myself." He snatched this paper from the employee, and pushed past them. He could see across the deck a bar in the shade, and next to it a set of stairs and elevator doors. 

Though he had planned to go straight to his room, the bartender hollered when he got close, waving him over.   
"Hey, you! Just landed right? Drinks on the house, let me get you something."   
Guzma thought about ignoring him, but the day had just begun, and it was a long way to Galar from here. Sauntering over, he leaned against the bar top, though not sitting on a stool.   
"You holler at everyone that shows up?"   
"Only the ones that catch my eye." The bartender chuckled, as a swirlix hopped up onto the counter from below. While they spoke, he started mixing together something.   
Guzma side eyed the swirlix briefly before going back to the tender. "You ain't gonna ask what I want?"   
"This time? No. Everyone gets the same thing for their first drink- with a little something extra based on what you look like you need."   
"Seems like a crummy business model, what if I end up hating it?"   
"Drinks are free on the ship, hard to hate what you're not paying for." He poured his concoction into a clear plastic cup, before sliding it over. It had lots of fine ice bits in it, and had a faint green color. "That said, I've never gotten a bad review even on land. Go on, try it."   
Guzma took the beverage in hand and glugged it down. He wasn't one to start with a sip to start, if it was bad he'd just spit it out. Lucky for both of them, it wasn't bad at all. A strange mix of sweet and sour, with a surprising dash of spice mixed in. Once empty, he slammed the cup back on the counter.   
"Well?"   
"Might as well grab another."   
The tender smirked. "That's what I figured. In case you ever want another one, it's called a Wyndon Crown. I added a dash of figy ground into yours."   
So that's what that spicy kick was. "Why'd you add a thing like that?"   
"We get a lot of hotheads coming through here, and you seem like one of them."   
Guzma glared at the bartender. "Is that an insult?"   
"Nope, an observation. Once you're there, slow down and enjoy the journey. The big flames burn out the fastest." He placed a second, taller cup on the table. This one with a to go lid. "Go find your room, unpack that bag of yours. I'll be here."   
Guzma rolled his eyes and took the drink, before starting down the first set of stairs. He didn't need a damn lecture from a bartender.

It was pretty tasty though.


	4. Chapter 4

Guzma descended the first set of stairs to find another level dedicated to battles. Unlike the deck above, it wasn’t just fields. Instead, there was a large assortment of equipment. Several high-tech VR stations, a complex obstacle course, and punching bags. Though nobody was currently in view, it looked like some of the equipment had been used recently, weights thrown lazily into a pile. Better than leaving them all over the place, but it was still going to be a pain for whoever wanted to use it next.  
The deck below this was the first to hold any rooms, a sign on the wall labeling it as ‘Deck 5.’ Here, the stairs he had previously been using to descend ended, though a map mounted below the deck sign indicated that there was a new set beginning in the center of this hallway. Walking down the hallway towards the stairs, one thing Guzma noticed was how notably large the suites were. Perhaps this was just the deck with all the bougie penthouses, but they had to be at least three times the average size. Once further down the hall, the wall to his right was replaced by a shallow railing, allowing him to look down. It seemed the center of this floor, and that of the levels below, had all been cleared to make room for a large silver statue of a Milotic, lights at the bottom illuminating the reflective metal in various hues. Looking down, it’s base seemed to be on what would be labeled ‘Deck 1’, though that floor looked more like a lobby. The tiling was intricately designed to look like water, and there seemed to be a few desks. The first one he noticed was a vacant check-in desk, and next to it an info desk with a very bored looking teen sitting behind it, who was fiddling boredly with a paddleball. Going to push away from the railing he’d been leaning against, his palm hit it with just a bit more force than planned, and the drink he’d been holding slipped out of his hand. It fell in slow motion, all the way down to the first floor and… 

There was an echoey Sploosh of ice, followed by a female’s appropriately upset “WHAT?!” 

That was just his luck, wasn’t it? A completely vacant floor, and he managed to drop something on someone just as they walked in. Grimacing, Guzma tried to lean out of sight before she saw him. The statue’s lights worked against him though, and she was able to see his shadow. 

“Hey I see you- what’s the big idea?”  
Guzma sneered, moving back over to the railing and shouting down at her. “It was a mistake, get over it!”  
She shook a fist up at him “Oh you get down here NOW, or I’ll-“  
“Make me!” He scoffed back at her, before shoving off the railing again and getting into the elevator. Where’d she get off hollering at him like that? Idiot. 

Jabbing his thumb into the three button, the elevator slid smoothly down to his floor, letting out a ding as its doors opened. From the elevator it wasn’t far before he found his dedicated room. Sliding the card in and out of the keyhole, the door unlocked and swung open, room 305 welcoming him with the warm smell of clean linen. Closing the door behind him, Guzma plopped down on the bed and looked around. This had to be the biggest room he’d ever stayed in. Fanciest, too. With quite a few glass decorations on the tables and shelves, he was a bit worried he’d break something on accident. There was a sliding glass door leading to a porch outside, where Alola was already just a speck on the horizon. 

Guzma plopped down onto the bed and slid his arms through the straps of his backpack, finally removing the bulky bag. Pulling it over to his side, he unzipped it and threw the things near the top onto the bed. He hadn’t brought much with him, just a few sets of clothes and some of his favorite snacks. The real bulk of the bag was the egg he had brought with him. Careful as he could, he pulled the pale purple egg out, holding it in both of his hands. It was quite large, for an egg. He hoped that whatever was inside would grow to match. 

Setting the egg down, he looked over to the night table next to the bed. It had on it a phone, a room-service menu, an alarm clock, and a few pamphlets. He grabbed the Pamphlets and leafed through them briefly. One was the same brochure for the international challenge as he had seen before, while the second one contained more information on Galar itself. The final pamphlet said more about the ship he was currently on, including a map and list of services. On the back, it had a world map, showing the route the ship was taking as it picked everyone up. From the looks of it, the ship had already picked up contenders from Kalos, Sinnoh, and now Alola. Next was Unova, followed by Kanto and Johto. Hoenn was the last on the list before they arrived. The round trip total was a month long, but with where they were now, Guzma had a bit more than two weeks on board before they arrived. Opening the pamphlet up back to the map of the ship’s services, he looked it over. Well it didn’t look like it would be too hard to find something to do over that time, but what to do first? Glancing at the bedside clock, it was about an hour until noon. Well, what better to do first than to find out where the best grub is? 


End file.
